A comparison of males and females' temporal patterning to short- and long-term heat acclimation.

The current study assessed sex differences in thermoregulatory and physiological adaptation to short-term (STHA) and long-term heat acclimation (LTHA). Sixteen (eight males; eight females) participants performed three running heat tolerance tests (RHTT), preceding HA (RHTT1), following 5 days HA (RHTT2) and 10 days HA (RHTT3). The RHTT involved 30-min running (9 km/h, 2% gradient) in 40 °C, 40% relative humidity. Following STHA, resting rectal temperature (Trrest ) (males: -0.24 ± 0.16 °C, P ≤ 0.001; females: -0.02 ± 0.08 °C, P = 0.597), peak rectal temperature (Trpeak ) (males: -0.39 ± 0.36 °C, P ≤ 0.001; females -0.07 ± 0.18 °C, P = 0.504), and peak heart rate (males: -14 ± 12 beats/min, P ≤ 0.001; females: -5 ± 3 beats/min, P = 0.164) reduced in males, but not females. Following STHA, sweat rate relative to body surface area (SRBSA ) increased (428 ± 269 g/h/m(2) , P = 0.029) in females, but not males (-11 ± 286 g/h/m(2) , P = 0.029). Following LTHA, Trrest (males: -0.04 ± 0.15 °C, P = 0.459; females: -0.22 ± 0.12 °C, P ≤ 0.01) and Trpeak (males: -0.05 ± 0.26 °C, P = 0.590; females: -0.41 ± 0.24 °C, P ≤ 0.01) reduced in females, but not males. Following LTHA, SRBSA increased in males (308 ± 346 g/h/m(2) , P = 0.029), but not females (44 ± 373 g/h/m(2) , P = 0.733). Males and females responded to STHA; however, females required LTHA to establish thermoregulatory and cardiovascular stability. HA protocols should be designed to target sex differences in thermoregulation for optimal adaptation.

Isothermic and fixed-intensity heat acclimation methods elicit equal increases in Hsp72 mRNA.

Thermotolerance, to which heat shock protein-72 (Hsp72) contributes, is an acquired state achieved following heat acclimation (HA), eliciting cellular adaption and protection against thermal stress. Optimal HA methods achieving the greatest heat shock response (HSR) are equivocal; therefore, investigation of methods provoking the greatest sustained HSR is required to optimize cellular adaptation. Twenty-four males performed short-term HA (STHA; five sessions) and long-term HA (LTHA; STHA plus further five sessions) utilizing fixed-intensity (FIXED; workload = 50% V ˙ O 2 p e a k ), continuous isothermic HA [ISOCONT ; target rectal temperature (Trec ) = 38.5 °C], or progressive isothermic HA (ISOPROG ; target Trec = 38.5 °C for STHA then target Trec = 39.0 °C for LTHA). Leukocyte Hsp72 mRNA was measured pre- and post day 1, day 5, and day 10 of HA via reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction to determine the HSR. Hsp72 mRNA increased (P < 0.05) pre- to post day 1, pre- to post day 5, and pre to post day 10 in FIXED, ISOCONT , and ISOPROG , but no differences were observed between methods (P > 0.05). The equal Hsp72 mRNA increases occurring from consistent, reduced, or increased endogenous strain following STHA and LTHA suggest that transcription occurs following attainment of sufficient endogenous criteria. These data give confidence that all reported HA methods increase Hsp72 mRNA and are capable of eliciting adaptations toward thermotolerance.

Leukocyte Hsp72 mRNA transcription does not differ between males and females during heat acclimation.

Purpose: Thermotolerance is an acquired state of increased cytoprotection achieved following single or repeated exposures to heat stress, in part characterized by changes in the intracellular 72 kda heat shock protein (HSP72; HSPA1A). Females have demonstrated reduced exercise induced HSP72 in comparison to males. This study examined sex differences in heat shock protein 72 messenger ribonucleic acid (Hsp72 mRNA) transcription during heat acclimation (HA) to identify whether sex differences were a result of differential gene transcription. Methods: Ten participants (5M, 5F) performed 10, 90 min controlled hyperthermia [rectal temperature (Tre) ≥ 38.5°C] HA sessions over 12 d. Leukocyte Hsp72 mRNA was measured pre and post D1, D5, and D10, via Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-QPCR). Results: HA was evidenced by a reduction in resting Tre (-0.4 ± 0.5°C) and resting heart rate [(HR); -13 ± 7 beats.min-1] following HA (p ≤ 0.05). During HA no difference (p > 0.05) was observed in ΔTre between males (D1 = 1.5 ± 0.2°C; D5 = 1.6 ± 0.4°C; D10 = 1.8 ± 0.3°C) and females (D1 = 1.5 ± 0.5°C; D5 = 1.4 ± 0.2°C; D10 = 1.8 ± 0.3°C). This was also true of mean Tre demonstrating equality of thermal stimuli for mRNA transcription and HA. There were no differences (p > 0.05) in Hsp72 mRNA expression between HA sessions or between males (D1 = +1.8 ± 1.5-fold; D5 = +2.0 ± 1.0 fold; D10 = +1.1 ± 0.4-fold) and females (D1 = +2.6 ± 1.8-fold; D5 = +1.8 ± 1.4-fold; D10 = +0.9 ± 1.9-fold). Conclusions: This experiment demonstrates that there is no difference in Hsp72 mRNA increases during HA between sexes when controlled hyperthermia HA is utilised. Gender specific differences in exercise-induced HSP72 reported elsewhere likely result from post-transcriptional events.

Combined active and passive heat exposure induced heat acclimation in a soccer referee before 2014 FIFA World Cup.

INTRODUCTION: The 2014 FIFA World Cup was held in Brazil, where the climatic conditions presented a significant thermoregulatory and perceptual challenge to those unfamiliar with the heat and humidity. CASE PRESENTATION: This case report documents the adaptation induced by a novel mixed methods (isothermic and passive) heat acclimation (HA) regime for a northern European professional soccer match official prior to the tournament. The intervention involved 13 HA sessions over an 18 day period comprising five isothermic HA sessions whereby intermittent running was used to target and maintain tympanic temperature (Tytemp) at 38 °C for 90 min, and seven passive HA sessions of 48 °C water bathing for 30 min. The athlete performed a heat stress test (HST) (35 min running at four incremental intensities in 30 °C) and a repeated high-intensity running test (as many 30 s self-paced efforts as possible, to a maximum of 20, with 30 s passive recovery) before and after the intervention. The mixed methods HA regime increased plasma volume (+7.1 %), and sweat loss (+0.9 L h(-1)), reduced exercising Tytemp (-0.6 °C), and mean body temperature (-0.5 °C). High-intensity running performance improved after HA (+29 %), as did the perception of thermal comfort during exercise (-0.3 units). CONCLUSION: This data evidences the effectiveness of a practical, mixed methods HA strategy, remotely implemented around training and competition, at inducing the heat acclimation phenotype in a high-level soccer match official.